Gynecologists are the professionals who focus on women’s health, especially in matters related to pregnancy and the female reproductive system. Their earning potential has been discussed in this article.
One of the most reputed and challenging medical jobs, the job of a gynecologist presents various challenges, as the issues they deal with can have an everlasting effect on the life of a patient. They treat women in matters related to the reproductive system and pregnancy. People always confuse them with an obstetrician. Yes, we all must have seen the terms, gynecologist and obstetrician (OB/GYN) being used together quite often. Well, the difference is that obstetricians are the physicians who specialize in caring for pregnant women all through the process of childbirth. Many physicians specialize in both and so, these two profiles are often clubbed together. The training and educational requirements are almost similar, with very few differences in the course. In short, the job of a gynecologist covers broad duties such as:
- Providing general medical care to women.
- Providing surgical care in cases of pregnancy.
- Expertise in prenatal care.
- Checking for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
- Performing pap test screening.
- Spread awareness about family planning among couples.
Pay Range
The salary is dependent on various factors including the educational qualifications, training, work experience, and the work location. Doctors who practice both gynecology and obstetrics, are generally paid more, as they can offer expertise in both fields.
There are immense challenges in this field. A gynecologist needs to be very careful during the treatment, as when dealing with pregnant women, one deals with two lives. The working hours can be very hectic, as the exact time of the childbirth is never known. Besides, emergency cases and other complications require them to be always ready to visit. One of the possible motivational factors may be the excellent monetary benefits. However, on the other hand, when we look at the fee costs for education and the long duration of 12 years before one can become a specialist, the salary range appears to be quite less.
Those who do not specialize in obstetrics, earn an annual salary of approximately USD 160,000. Some others who have work experience of 3 or more years, enjoy a pay scale of approximately USD 210,000. You can see that the pay range is relatively higher than most other medical jobs. The maximum salary reported for a practitioner with 3 or more years of work experience is USD 360,000 per annum.
Doctors who have a degree in obstetrics, earn an average pay of USD 210,000 in the first two years. For those with work experience of 3 or more years, the average pay is USD 261,000 per annum. The maximum salary reported is about USD 420,000 per annum.
The pay scale varies significantly with respect to the location. While a doctor working in New York has more opportunities, his counterpart in Illinois is relatively less paid. This is attributed to the fact that the economic forces in the market of every location may be varying. For example, the clinic operating costs may be more in New York as the property rates are higher there.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects the job growth to increase by a staggering 18% between 2012 to 2022, faster than the average of most occupations.